Periodically, the flourishing fish populations commonly found
off the west coast of Peru South America are replaced
by the sight of dead fish littering the water and beaches.
Unusual weather conditions occur around the globe as
jet streams, storm tracks and monsoons are shifted.
Such disarray is caused by a warm current of water that
appears every three to seven years in the eastern Pacific Ocean called
El Niño. This module introduces
El Niño,
conditions are responsible for its
occurrence, plus the impact it has on the rest of the world.
The El Niño instructional module has been organized into the following
sections:

SectionsLast Update: 04/28/98

DefinitionIntroduces El Niño, when El Niño events have been recorded
and how it compares to La Niña.

'97-'98 EventProvides a brief insight into the most recent El Niño event.

UpwellingIntroduces upwelling, the thermocline and how they impact local sea
life populations.

Non-El Niño YearsTypical oceanic and atmospheric conditions that exist
in the tropical Pacific when no El Niño is present..

El Niño EventsConditions that lead to an El Niño event
and how El Niño influences upwelling processes, tropical rainfall
and local fish populations.